General

Delta State University and the Center for Community and Economic Development recently announced the successful completion of the asset-building program Delta Dollars.

Delta Dollars is an 8:1 matched individual development account program that focuses on financial literacy and post-secondary education. Since the spring of 2015, 19 participants have utilized Delta Dollars to accumulate a combined savings total of $9,730 — money students use to build financial assets needed to pursue their college education. A total of $66,641.55 has been disbursed for their post-secondary expenses at Delta State.

“Without the funding provided by this program, I would not have been able to graduate this semester,” said student Jammie Marquez. “I have been beset by difficulties that have required me to take extra classes. Knowing that I would be able to rely on my savings and funding from Delta Dollars made me confident that I could overcome those difficulties and add the courses without worrying about the added cost.”

“This is a great program,” she said. “I was able to stay on track towards graduation by attending summer school with the funds. I learned a lot from the self-paced financial literacy modules.”

A grant from Assets for Independence, a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services, funds approximately 50 percent of program costs. The remaining half is funded through non-federal sources. Other partners and contributors included Delta State University Foundation and Renasant Bank.

Joining President LaForge is Dr. Gary Bouse, Delta State Chief Development Officer and liaison to the Dedicated Statesmen Association.

This past fall, Delta State celebrated its 90th birthday with a series of programs looking at its history. As part of the continued celebration, a number of student groups will come together on April 19 to repaint Delta State’s Green Mile fitness trail that works its way across campus. The project is being led by members of the Dedicated Statesmen Association, which oversaw the restoration of the Alumni Plaza clock as part of our 90th anniversary and will continue to identify and spearhead projects on campus in the coming years.

The repainting of the Green Mile will kick off at the Alumni clock next to the Student Union at 1:30 p.m. on April 19, with members of several different student groups, athletic teams and Greek organizations competing in teams. The goal is to give new life to the Green Mile, which was created in 2010 to promote overall health and wellness at the institution. The one-mile trail enables walkers and joggers to start at any set of green footprints on campus and to follow the trail of footprints until they are back at their starting point, thus completing one mile of exercise. The work of the student teams will be judged on neatness and completion, and the winners will receive trophies and prizes for their efforts. Fitness and health are important components of education at Delta State, and the university is proud that the Green Mile is available to anyone from the campus or community.

In other news on campus, the Delta State University Jazz Ensemble will present its spring concert tonight at 7:30, and the Delta State University Choirs will present “Carmina Burana,” a cantata at 7:30 tomorrow night. And rounding out three nights of music will be a free concert featuring the U.S. Air Force Concert Band. That performance is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday night. All three performances will take place in our Bologna Performing Arts Center.

Last Tuesday, in the aftermath of Governor Phil Bryant’s signing House Bill 1523 (known as the “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act”), I issued a statement to the media that incorporated information I am sharing with you below.

Over the last few days, conversations about civility and respect have ensued across the Delta State University campus. Most recently, in meetings with students and faculty, I reinforced Delta State’s longstanding commitment to an open and inclusive university campus community—a theme I included in comments I made during the 2015 State of the University Address at the university’s annual convocation.

The signing of this legislation into law, coupled with some recent expressions of opinions on campus, present the university with yet another opportunity to restate our commitment to inclusiveness, fairness, and a safe and welcoming campus for all.

As stated in the guiding principles for the university, Delta State promotes mutual respect, teamwork, fairness, and integrity among all of our employees and students, and the university works diligently to create a climate in which students, employees, and constituents are valued and nurtured. Delta State strives to be a safe environment for all of our students, faculty, and staff, and we celebrate the many differences that make this university great. Those goals and principles are central to our mission and will not change.

Over the past few years, Delta State has hosted Safe Space training programs in which I, along with numerous faculty and staff members, have participated. The goals of the national Safe Space program are to create campus spaces where LGBTQ students and employees feel safe, supported, and valued as members of the university community, and to reduce fear of reprisal and discrimination within the university community. The university will continue to support that program and the work it does.

This week, Delta State is hosting a professional development webinar that is open to any faculty or staff member who wants to support the LGBTQ community on campus. The program, “Beyond LGBTQ: Supporting the Spectrum of Sexual & Gender Identities of Your Students,” is scheduled for Wednesday, April 13 at 1:00 pm in the Baioni Conference Center in Broom Hall.

I ask for your continuing efforts to ensure Delta State remains a campus that embraces and demonstrates civility and respect.

According to the website, Who’s Who awards are conferred by more than 1,000 schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and is symbolized by the presentation of an award certificate. Selections to Who’s Who Among Students are made each fall by individual schools.

“In this ranking of the 50 best graduate nursing programs, we set out to uncover precisely what advanced nursing students want (and need) from a master’s degree,” according to TopMastersInHealthcare.com.

The website said it selected graduate schools based on program flexibility, faculty involvement in the healthcare field, and tuition cost.

Vicki Bingham, chair and associate professor of nursing, said, “The Master of Science in Nursing program of study has been offered online since 2000. This program of study in an online format provides flexibility to schedules and accessibility to an advanced education for working nurses in different geographical locations.”

The graduate enrollment has increased from 32 in 2000 to 78 in 2016.

“Faculty in the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing are committed to offering quality degree programs and providing students with the knowledge, skills,confidence, and attitudes to practice as a professional nurse providing quality healthcare,” said Shelby Polk, associate professor of nursing.

Polk said being ranked third “speaks to the dedication of our faculty in delivering a quality online program with high standards and student expectations.”

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can be earned either as a degree or there is a certificate option which provides study in a role concentration (i.e. Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Administrator, or Nurse Educator) beyond the Baccalaureate in Nursing (BSN).

Bingham said, “We have been ranked twice by the U.S. & World News report for the Best Online Graduate Nursing Program in 2016 ranked at 42 and in 2014 at 41. In addition to this ranking by the TopMastersInHealthcare, we received notification that we were ranked eighth as the 2016 Most Affordable Online College by OnlineU.”

Bingham said they feel very “honored and delighted” to be ranked third among all of the other universities.

“The expertise of our faculty members, availability to the students, and affordability of the program put us as one of the best schools to obtain an education and advance in the nursing profession,” Bingham said.